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Tales from the Indian jungle
Ace hunter and wildlife chronicler Kenneth Anderson recalls real-life jungle tales, some macabre and some incredible, of adventures in pursuit of man-eating tigers and leopards. He brings the animal and human characters alive against the background of the jungle and the excitement and danger their co-existence generates.
204 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 1971
About the author
Kenneth Anderson
94 books75 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Kenneth Anderson (1910 – 1974) was an Indian writer and hunter who wrote many books about his adventures in the jungles of South India.
Kenneth Anderson (1910 – 1974) was an Indian writer and hunter who wrote many books about his adventures in the jungles of South India.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 15, 2018
Kenneth Anderson (1910-74)was a skilled writer,and a hunter.He wrote a number of hunting books,which dealt primarily with his experiences in the South Indian jungles.
At the time,small villages were often terrorised by man eating tigers and other big cats.Elephants could be a nuisance too.He was often called to shoot the man eaters,and was eventually credited with a large number of kills.
He brings the South Indian jungle to life through his descriptions of its sights,sounds and smells.He describes his encounters with man eating tigers,leopards,elephants and other inhabitants of the jungle.In addition,he also became well acquainted with the tribes in those remote regions.
It makes for an interesting read from a bygone area.It is thrillingly adventurous stuff.The introduction to the book states,"The jungle is his birthplace,his heaven,and his resting place when the end comes."
At the time,small villages were often terrorised by man eating tigers and other big cats.Elephants could be a nuisance too.He was often called to shoot the man eaters,and was eventually credited with a large number of kills.
He brings the South Indian jungle to life through his descriptions of its sights,sounds and smells.He describes his encounters with man eating tigers,leopards,elephants and other inhabitants of the jungle.In addition,he also became well acquainted with the tribes in those remote regions.
It makes for an interesting read from a bygone area.It is thrillingly adventurous stuff.The introduction to the book states,"The jungle is his birthplace,his heaven,and his resting place when the end comes."
September 8, 2014
I wish I was born in those times when dense forests existed and abounded with life!
March 28, 2021
Another classic book by Anderson. Here are 8 stories. Accounts of jungles and tigers and other animals of the wild.
'Ghooming at Dawn' begins with trekking around Bangalore hills and observing the law of the jungle. Of tigers there are 4 tales from Bellundur, Amligola, Diguvametta and Lakkavalli. Then there is 'The Strange Case of the Gerhetti Leopard'. Apart from that there is 'Tales from the Supernatural' which is most fascinating. 'What the Thunderstorm Brought' is an account of Anderson's son, Donald's photography adventure from a machan and how an elephant topples him over after a violent thunderstorm.
The variety in the book is good. It is engaging for those who still love the good, old days and the rustic charm of the wilds.
'Ghooming at Dawn' begins with trekking around Bangalore hills and observing the law of the jungle. Of tigers there are 4 tales from Bellundur, Amligola, Diguvametta and Lakkavalli. Then there is 'The Strange Case of the Gerhetti Leopard'. Apart from that there is 'Tales from the Supernatural' which is most fascinating. 'What the Thunderstorm Brought' is an account of Anderson's son, Donald's photography adventure from a machan and how an elephant topples him over after a violent thunderstorm.
The variety in the book is good. It is engaging for those who still love the good, old days and the rustic charm of the wilds.
July 12, 2019
Having been fascinated with the jungle and primarily its ruling occupant - the tiger - I had bought this book with much expectation. Expectation to understand more about this creature, both intimidating and impressive, and its behaviour in the wild. But after having finished the book, I believe to have got more than i bargained for. Not only did Kenneth Anderson reveal several idiosyncrasies of the wild cats (tigers and leopards) he has encountered in his visits to the Indian jungle, but he has weaved these insights into gripping stories.
The book essentially is segregated into chapters, each dealing with his episodes in the wild and/ or close to the forest, where he goes to hunt tigers and panthers that have turned man eaters - and mostly at the behest of the local unarmed villagers who were in the firing line. Set in the early years of India’s independence, the book also brings to light the law and traditions of those times and hamlets near these forests. A truly exceptional read, not just for Anderson’s story telling capabilities and how he keeps his readers on the edge, but also for deep insight and knowledge of the wild animals’ behaviour.
Loved it and will recommend it to everyone.
The book essentially is segregated into chapters, each dealing with his episodes in the wild and/ or close to the forest, where he goes to hunt tigers and panthers that have turned man eaters - and mostly at the behest of the local unarmed villagers who were in the firing line. Set in the early years of India’s independence, the book also brings to light the law and traditions of those times and hamlets near these forests. A truly exceptional read, not just for Anderson’s story telling capabilities and how he keeps his readers on the edge, but also for deep insight and knowledge of the wild animals’ behaviour.
Loved it and will recommend it to everyone.
July 9, 2018
What did i feel when i read this book? was it just reading? Not at all! The author magically transports us into the incredible and fascinating world of the Indian jungle and its wonderful inhabitants. From Ponachimalai to the unnamed forest terrain where tigers rule, he offers us a feast of the treasure of the experiences he had in the wild that are priceless and worth reading a thousand times. Prepare your backpacks and get ready to encounter the wild, as you set foot into the forest, page by page.
June 22, 2018
Another K.A. masterpiece, a spellbinding collection of true stories that will send a chill down your spine, leave you amazed, looking over your shoulder a little and yes leave you wanting more...
March 29, 2025
Last weekend, I hiked in the Ayyur Reserve Forest without much prior research, and I was stunned by its beauty. Despite it being the end of March, the trail was thick with overgrowth, likely due to the rain from the previous night. It was just the two of us, and as usual, we didn’t encounter another human throughout the entire trail.
The forest was alive with wildlife activity—elephant dung, wild boar-dug holes, and fresh deer footprints were scattered along our path. As we walked, I found myself narrating everything I knew about Indian wildlife, knowledge I had gathered from Kenneth Anderson’s books.
The hike turned out to be an incredible experience, so much so that we decided to focus all our future hikes in this region, exploring its dense forests. And, being a nerd, I naturally wanted to deepen my understanding of these jungles—what better way to do that than by turning to Kenneth Anderson’s books?
Tales From The Indian Jungle is a fantastic read, immersing the reader in the raw and untamed wilderness of India. Anderson’s storytelling brings the jungles to life, making you feel as if you're right there, tracking animals and experiencing the thrill of the wild. If you love nature, wildlife, or adventure, this book is a must-read.
The forest was alive with wildlife activity—elephant dung, wild boar-dug holes, and fresh deer footprints were scattered along our path. As we walked, I found myself narrating everything I knew about Indian wildlife, knowledge I had gathered from Kenneth Anderson’s books.
The hike turned out to be an incredible experience, so much so that we decided to focus all our future hikes in this region, exploring its dense forests. And, being a nerd, I naturally wanted to deepen my understanding of these jungles—what better way to do that than by turning to Kenneth Anderson’s books?
Tales From The Indian Jungle is a fantastic read, immersing the reader in the raw and untamed wilderness of India. Anderson’s storytelling brings the jungles to life, making you feel as if you're right there, tracking animals and experiencing the thrill of the wild. If you love nature, wildlife, or adventure, this book is a must-read.
February 13, 2021
CONTENTS
Tales from the Indian Jungle (1970, George Allen & Unwin)
'''Publisher's Foreword'''
Malcolm Barnes of the publisher, George Allen & Unwin briefly details his experiences in editing Anderson's work and the importance he sees in it. He did not meet Anderson in person until the Autumn of 1969, when Anderson took him on a tour of the Nilgiri Hills and told him hours of tales of the Indian Jungle. Malcolm ends with, "Anderson says that this will be the last book of this kind he will write; he has no more to tell. From what I heard in his forest hut, I doubt this. But we shall see".
'''Introduction'''
Anderson writes about himself in the third person, explaining his love of the jungle and telling jungle stories. He ends by writing of himself, "He appears to be of the jungle himself, and we get the impression that he belongs there. This is home for him and here is the place he would want to die; the jungle is his birthplace, his haven and his resting place when the end comes".
'''Ghooming at Dawn'''
Anderson takes us on a typical morning ghooming in the Indian jungle, where we encounter a sloth bear, Sambur stag and herd of Spotted Deer.
'''The Bellundur Ogre'''
A cattle lifting tiger becomes antagonized into attacking humans after the local villagers maim and wound the beast when they fail to kill it in a pit trap. When the tiger turns man-eater Anderson arrives on the scene with his Doctor friend to shoot the animal. The pair spend a terrifying night in the dark sat over human remains. Their plan to fool the tiger soon goes wrong and the tiger ends up stalking the Doctor up a forest track as Anderson follows in the dark un-sure whether he'll be killed by the man-eater or a stray shot from the Doctor. The next day the man-eater takes a sleeping woman from inside a hut, but is unable to dislodge her body from the broken bamboo wall. Anderson and the Doctor spend the following night in the hut awaiting the tiger to return. The man-eater arrives with his mate who has also got the taste of human flesh, and soon discovers that Anderson is inside the hut and tries to break inside in a fury.
'''The Aristocrat of Amligola'''
A large, grand tiger starts cattle lifting in the Amligola area, and is nicknamed "Gowndnorai" by the locals. Whilst in the region Anderson encounters Gowndnorai and his mate and gains respect for the animal, as despite two dangerously close encounters the tiger does not attack him. When Gowndnorai continues to kill the largest cattle in the village, a local fires on the animal and brutally wounds it's face causing Gowndnorai to turn man-eater. Anderson reluctantly goes in search of him and whilst sitting up over a second human kill, Gowndnorai approaches and chases a panther off his meal right up the tree in which Anderson is waiting.
'''The Assassin of Diguvametta'''
A panther in the Diguvametta area advances from local dog killer to man-eater. Anderson arrives on the scene and attempts to use himself as bait by sitting out on the village road dressed in local garb with a blackened face. The panther does not arrive that night and makes a kill along the railway line a distance away. The next night Anderson sits a top of a railway tunnel, keeping watch over the human remains should the panther return.
'''Tales of the Supernatural'''
Anderson recounts his experiences with the supernatural, including a haunted bedroom in which a curse is dispelled when a seer instructs Anderson to dig in a certain place - and Anderson discovers a clay figure wrapped with his hair. He also tells the story of his doctor friend who is led to an ancient graveyard to contact a spirit to become his servant. Anderson's last story regards a visit to an ancient temple in Chitaldroog - where he is asked to investigate the disappearance of two men believed to have been killed by a tiger resident in the temple. Anderson spends two nights in the temple and on both occasions experiences a mysterious whistling and flapping sound coming from an old well followed by a strange cloud formation rising from its depths. None of these occurrences are noticed by the tiger, which watches Anderson on both nights and proves to not be a maneater.
'''The Strange Case of the Gerhetti Leopard'''
Anderson first recounts a story about how a local caretaker failed to grant him access to the Gerhetti forest lodge which he had booked - causing him to break into the backdoor to gain his paid residence. After his trip, Anderson complains to the Forestry Department about the lazy caretaker, who in retaliation steals furniture from the lodge and blames the theft on Anderson. Anderson suspects as much and tracks down the stolen furniture which results in the caretaker losing his job. Anderson's story then focuses on a peculiar acting leopard in the same area of Gerhetti which turns man-eater, and unlike usual panthers - obtains its victims only during the daytime. Anderson arrives to investigate at the same time as the panther secures its fourth victim which turns out to be the son of the lazy caretaker. The son is killed outside the Gerhetti forest lodge, where Anderson sits up over the remains awaiting the return of the panther and ends up having a close encounter.
'''The Lakkavalli Man-Eater'''
An old cattle lifting tiger in Lakkavalli that has the distinctive habit of carrying it's kill over its back, turns to man-eating. Anderson arrives with only a short time period available to find the killer, and tracks it down to a nearby cave.
'''What the Thunderstorm Brought '''
Anderson and his son Donald head to the jungle armed with nothing but a camera to attempt to photograph a tiger at night. Donald takes over the writing of the story, and describes how left alone on a machan over a bait - a huge thunderstorm hits at the same time as the tiger arrives along with an angry elephant. The elephant is determined to knock Donald out of the tree and succeeds in uprooting it as Anderson rushes to his son's aid armed only with a stick.
Tales from the Indian Jungle (1970, George Allen & Unwin)
'''Publisher's Foreword'''
Malcolm Barnes of the publisher, George Allen & Unwin briefly details his experiences in editing Anderson's work and the importance he sees in it. He did not meet Anderson in person until the Autumn of 1969, when Anderson took him on a tour of the Nilgiri Hills and told him hours of tales of the Indian Jungle. Malcolm ends with, "Anderson says that this will be the last book of this kind he will write; he has no more to tell. From what I heard in his forest hut, I doubt this. But we shall see".
'''Introduction'''
Anderson writes about himself in the third person, explaining his love of the jungle and telling jungle stories. He ends by writing of himself, "He appears to be of the jungle himself, and we get the impression that he belongs there. This is home for him and here is the place he would want to die; the jungle is his birthplace, his haven and his resting place when the end comes".
'''Ghooming at Dawn'''
Anderson takes us on a typical morning ghooming in the Indian jungle, where we encounter a sloth bear, Sambur stag and herd of Spotted Deer.
'''The Bellundur Ogre'''
A cattle lifting tiger becomes antagonized into attacking humans after the local villagers maim and wound the beast when they fail to kill it in a pit trap. When the tiger turns man-eater Anderson arrives on the scene with his Doctor friend to shoot the animal. The pair spend a terrifying night in the dark sat over human remains. Their plan to fool the tiger soon goes wrong and the tiger ends up stalking the Doctor up a forest track as Anderson follows in the dark un-sure whether he'll be killed by the man-eater or a stray shot from the Doctor. The next day the man-eater takes a sleeping woman from inside a hut, but is unable to dislodge her body from the broken bamboo wall. Anderson and the Doctor spend the following night in the hut awaiting the tiger to return. The man-eater arrives with his mate who has also got the taste of human flesh, and soon discovers that Anderson is inside the hut and tries to break inside in a fury.
'''The Aristocrat of Amligola'''
A large, grand tiger starts cattle lifting in the Amligola area, and is nicknamed "Gowndnorai" by the locals. Whilst in the region Anderson encounters Gowndnorai and his mate and gains respect for the animal, as despite two dangerously close encounters the tiger does not attack him. When Gowndnorai continues to kill the largest cattle in the village, a local fires on the animal and brutally wounds it's face causing Gowndnorai to turn man-eater. Anderson reluctantly goes in search of him and whilst sitting up over a second human kill, Gowndnorai approaches and chases a panther off his meal right up the tree in which Anderson is waiting.
'''The Assassin of Diguvametta'''
A panther in the Diguvametta area advances from local dog killer to man-eater. Anderson arrives on the scene and attempts to use himself as bait by sitting out on the village road dressed in local garb with a blackened face. The panther does not arrive that night and makes a kill along the railway line a distance away. The next night Anderson sits a top of a railway tunnel, keeping watch over the human remains should the panther return.
'''Tales of the Supernatural'''
Anderson recounts his experiences with the supernatural, including a haunted bedroom in which a curse is dispelled when a seer instructs Anderson to dig in a certain place - and Anderson discovers a clay figure wrapped with his hair. He also tells the story of his doctor friend who is led to an ancient graveyard to contact a spirit to become his servant. Anderson's last story regards a visit to an ancient temple in Chitaldroog - where he is asked to investigate the disappearance of two men believed to have been killed by a tiger resident in the temple. Anderson spends two nights in the temple and on both occasions experiences a mysterious whistling and flapping sound coming from an old well followed by a strange cloud formation rising from its depths. None of these occurrences are noticed by the tiger, which watches Anderson on both nights and proves to not be a maneater.
'''The Strange Case of the Gerhetti Leopard'''
Anderson first recounts a story about how a local caretaker failed to grant him access to the Gerhetti forest lodge which he had booked - causing him to break into the backdoor to gain his paid residence. After his trip, Anderson complains to the Forestry Department about the lazy caretaker, who in retaliation steals furniture from the lodge and blames the theft on Anderson. Anderson suspects as much and tracks down the stolen furniture which results in the caretaker losing his job. Anderson's story then focuses on a peculiar acting leopard in the same area of Gerhetti which turns man-eater, and unlike usual panthers - obtains its victims only during the daytime. Anderson arrives to investigate at the same time as the panther secures its fourth victim which turns out to be the son of the lazy caretaker. The son is killed outside the Gerhetti forest lodge, where Anderson sits up over the remains awaiting the return of the panther and ends up having a close encounter.
'''The Lakkavalli Man-Eater'''
An old cattle lifting tiger in Lakkavalli that has the distinctive habit of carrying it's kill over its back, turns to man-eating. Anderson arrives with only a short time period available to find the killer, and tracks it down to a nearby cave.
'''What the Thunderstorm Brought '''
Anderson and his son Donald head to the jungle armed with nothing but a camera to attempt to photograph a tiger at night. Donald takes over the writing of the story, and describes how left alone on a machan over a bait - a huge thunderstorm hits at the same time as the tiger arrives along with an angry elephant. The elephant is determined to knock Donald out of the tree and succeeds in uprooting it as Anderson rushes to his son's aid armed only with a stick.
July 19, 2026
I read many of Anderson’s books long ago. Such as “Nine Man-Eaters and One Rogue”, “The Call of the Man-Eater”, and “The Black Panther of Sivanipalli”, all excellent books. Somehow I missed “Tales from the Indian Jungle”. This book is shorter than his others but no less exciting. The stories are a bit more condensed but an excellent book nonetheless.
Kenneth Anderson Scottish native who lived in India and wrote of his hunting adventures on the continent. Anderson, along with the better-known author, Jim Corbett, has the ability of putting you there with him in the jungle. Like Corbett, he dealt with many man-eating tigers and panthers in Southern India.
Overall I enjoyed this book by Anderson, with the exception of the chapter titled, “Tales of the Supernatural”, just not my cup of tea.
I definitely recommend reading this book and any others by Anderson or Corbett.
Kenneth Anderson Scottish native who lived in India and wrote of his hunting adventures on the continent. Anderson, along with the better-known author, Jim Corbett, has the ability of putting you there with him in the jungle. Like Corbett, he dealt with many man-eating tigers and panthers in Southern India.
Overall I enjoyed this book by Anderson, with the exception of the chapter titled, “Tales of the Supernatural”, just not my cup of tea.
I definitely recommend reading this book and any others by Anderson or Corbett.
April 6, 2019
Kenneth Anderson has written a good book with tales of his hunts of maneaters (both Tigers and Panthers) and other assorted tales from his excursions into the jungles of south India. I liked his story of Supernatural experience of a tiger living in a ruined temple in the jungle and the final story of photographing the tiger with his son Don in the jungle on a machan. The stories bring out his love of the forests of India and it's wild denizens.
September 19, 2019
It's a beautiful writting and it's just brilliant to see how author is more a indian in many ways and had good storytelling taste, natural instinct and huge respect to Indian tribe and nature.
Just wondering why every village had a man Eater ?
Just wondering why every village had a man Eater ?
December 21, 2019
Unputdownable for jungle lovers
Tales From The Indian Jungle gives fascinating insights into the untouched (or barely so) forests of India and the their denizens. A must read for anyone who has read Jim Corbett and is looking for more jungle stories.
Tales From The Indian Jungle gives fascinating insights into the untouched (or barely so) forests of India and the their denizens. A must read for anyone who has read Jim Corbett and is looking for more jungle stories.
January 10, 2020
always fun and educating
The story telling makes reading experience superb and enjoying.
Ken Anderson is a master story teller. But sometimes I feel sad for the animals reading about their hunting
The story telling makes reading experience superb and enjoying.
Ken Anderson is a master story teller. But sometimes I feel sad for the animals reading about their hunting
May 24, 2020
Kenneth Anderson: FANTASTIC author of wild life Adventure.
If you love reading NON-FICTION, real-life adventures in the jungles of India: Kenneth Anderson & all his books are for you.
If you love reading NON-FICTION, real-life adventures in the jungles of India: Kenneth Anderson & all his books are for you.
September 2, 2017
The way KDS has described each adventure makes feel like I am there. The most chilling was the one about supernatural experiences.
October 26, 2017
enjoyed reading experiences of old Indian jungles.
January 7, 2022
tales of the past
a look back at tiger behavior and hunting man eaters in the jungle and early 1900s village life as a peasant
a look back at tiger behavior and hunting man eaters in the jungle and early 1900s village life as a peasant
July 29, 2022
Simple and unassuming style of writing. Fantastic stories. The towns and forests in his stories are very recognizable if you’re from Bangalore or surrounding areas.
November 11, 2022
This book shows how hunting wild animals in past led to severe decline in our faunal diversity.
March 21, 2023
Corbett in south Indian jungle.
April 22, 2023
India of the Past
Excellent stories about India in a vivid detail. A view we seldom have of the former British colony during the mid-20th century.j
Excellent stories about India in a vivid detail. A view we seldom have of the former British colony during the mid-20th century.j
June 19, 2020
Kenneth Anderson explores the jungles of South India especially Karnataka and AP in this one, taking us to a world where the leopards, panthers and tigers still ruled over the common folk, long before the drastic hunts which almost pushed these beautiful and intelligent creatures to extinction. What I like about these stories of the jungle from the perspective of the hunters is that they understood the laws of the wild and valued these predators that most villagers felt were either evil incarnates or a punishment for their sins. In one of the stories when a friend of his raises the gun to shoot a panther that has just killed a Deer he puts his hand to push the weapon down remarking "Don't shoot, It's the law of the jungle. The panther has killed for food, not wantonly." which shows us how they admired the beasts that they had to kill for the safety of desperate and fear-driven village populace. Apart from the hunt, he takes to stop these man-eaters he additionally describes the customs & superstitions of the people, the face-off with the elephants on a stormy night and the strange encounter he experienced at Chitaldroog are riveting.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would suggest you pick it up for an adventuresome ride right from your home.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would suggest you pick it up for an adventuresome ride right from your home.
November 17, 2015
The chapter of Tales of the Supernatural is one of the coolest pieces about black magic practiced in Indian folklore. The chapter creates a perfect atmosphere of the gruesome darkness before Anderson narrates the absolutely thrilling story of the ghost at the haunted ancient Temple!
Enjoyable read..
Enjoyable read..
March 10, 2014
Its a great book, making you almost wish to have been born in Pre-Independence era in this southern plateau of INDIA. Simply put yet enthralling tales and managing to earn respect for the King Cat despite ominous kind it deals with it.
Read
September 4, 2011Its very good book to know old indian jungles, that wat we dont know..
January 10, 2013
good narration of the first hand experience of the author in indian jungles with tigers and leopards.
June 12, 2014
Engaging,terrifying but not a dull moment in the book.
May 13, 2015
A good collection of short stories.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews